Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

What it is

It uses a special pressure chamber to raise the amount of oxygen in the blood. In a one-person chamber, you lie on a bed that slides into a clear tube.

Sources: MedlinePlus (NIH): Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia ↗ · Mayo Clinic: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy - Mayo Clinic ↗

How it's thought to work

Effects on the body include removing trapped air bubbles and helping new blood vessels and tissue grow.

Source: Mayo Clinic: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy - Mayo Clinic ↗

What people use it for

It is used for decompression sickness, a problem caused by rapid pressure drops in scuba diving or air or space travel. It may be used for wounds that have not healed with other treatments, such as a diabetic foot ulcer.

Sources: Mayo Clinic: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy - Mayo Clinic ↗ · MedlinePlus (NIH): Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia ↗

What the research has found so far

On Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and aging, PubMed lists 6 trials in people, 6 studies that watched people over time, 48 animal and lab studies. See the counts and searches

Side effects and risks

• You might feel pressure in your ears, and they may pop afterward.
• Increased pressure or pure oxygen can cause ear pain and middle ear injuries, including eardrum rupture and fluid leaking from the middle ear.
• It can cause sinus pressure with pain, runny nose or nose bleeds.
• Cataract formation can occur with long courses of treatment.
• It can cause a short-term decline in lung function.
• People with diabetes treated with insulin may get low blood sugar.
• Some people feel anxiety in an enclosed space.
• After treatment you may feel somewhat tired or hungry.

Sources: MedlinePlus (NIH): Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia ↗ · Mayo Clinic: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy - Mayo Clinic ↗

Who should be careful, and drug interactions

• The risk of complications rises with longer and repeated therapies.
• Items such as lighters and battery-powered devices that generate heat are not allowed in the chamber.
• People are asked not to wear or use hair or skin care products such as lip balm, lotion, makeup or hair spray.

Source: Mayo Clinic: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy - Mayo Clinic ↗

What studies and labels describe

What studies or labels describe, not a recommendation.

• The air pressure in the chamber is increased to 2 to 3 times normal air pressure.
• For most conditions, a session lasts 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Long-term conditions may be treated over days or weeks.

Sources: Mayo Clinic: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy - Mayo Clinic ↗ · MedlinePlus (NIH): Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia ↗

Roughly what it costs

We don't have prices for this yet.

Questions to ask your doctor

• Is Hyperbaric oxygen therapy a sensible option for me, given my health and the medicines I take?
• Could Hyperbaric oxygen therapy interact with any medicine or supplement I already take?
• What side effects should I watch for, and when should I stop or call you?
• How would we tell whether it is helping, and when should we review it?